abraxaslogs | Round 2

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Round 2

WHO: Goro, open, a few closed prompts
WHAT: Goro finally stages his anti-Solvunn rally, which causes a commotion amongst the summoned of Cadens, and the Free Cities leadership, often retreating to the Horizon for some much-needed rest, but separated from his many supporters, it makes him easier to approach.
WHEN: After returning from The Dimming in January
WHERE: Cadens town square or equivalent, the Horizon
WARNINGS: Usual CWs for the Lair, see here for a description of Goro's home away from home away from home.

Preparing the rally-Around Cadens center [OPEN]

Goro doesn't bother asking for permits or permission. He never does; the Prince of Kuatan simply takes what he wants, and in this case, what he wants is the central square of Cadens. He arrives surrounded by supporters of his anti-Solvunn speeches, who are themselves laden with wood and building supplies. He surveys the area and finds it suitable to his needs. The Shokan gives a curt nod of approval. "This will do. Begin."

The crowd of supporters disperses quickly, setting to work with their supplies and tools, building what appears to be a grand stage and setting up banners and a makeshift bleachers. There appear to be artisans who have fallen under Goro's sway directing most of the building with Goro—now with a blood-red cloak draped over his massive shoulders, large enough to fall to almost his feet—overseeing, the symbol and leader of this movement.

Shouldn't the guards be putting up more of a fuss? Probably. There are some lingering around the edges of the crowd, but it seems like too few of them are willing to put up a fight. Or too many of them are followers of the Shokan and are keeping the rest from interfering.

Goro can be approached during this time, but a number of supporters or hangers-on stay close to him, forming a small crowd that might make approaching, or challenging him, difficult. And any attempts to stop or slow the work are sure to draw the Shokan's attention (but he's cagey enough to have warned his supporters not to resort to violence...until they are attacked first, and for the most part his people adhere to that).

Still, the square is an important thoroughfare for traffic and commerce. Goro simply claiming it for his rally, especially since the construction is not finished in one day, is affecting life in the city. A lot of Cadens has thrown its support behind the Shokan, but this isn't universal, and for every citizen singing the praises of the Free Cities' newest "champion" there's bound to be someone grumbling about the self-important outsider who seems dead-set on doing as he pleases, damn the cost.

The Prince takes his Rest-Horizon [Open]

Construction is liable to go on for a few days, and there are so many begging his favour. Goro finds it necessary to periodically excuse himself and seek rest in the Horizon, where his many sycophants are unable to follow. Here, in his small recreation of what he finds most comfortable and familiar, he finds it easier to relax. But of course, he can't do anything to prevent people from wandering into his domain, or who might come there looking to challenge him directly about the rally, or his movement.

Goro is likely to be found in the throne room or his private quarters tucked behind the throne room. That said, anyone nosing or poking around the throne room or elsewhere is likely to attract his attention.

The Day Arrives-Cadens Rally

It takes a few days for the set-up preparations to be finished, and word has already traveled to the other cities about what's coming. Traffic into Cadens has increased before Goro and his crew ever started setting up in the central square. And now, it's here.

A huge crowd has gathered, from Cadens and across the Free Cities, to hear Goro speak. Banners with the emblem of the Free Cities wave in the wind around the edges of the square, and in addition to the bleachers, which are packed, the central square in front of the stage is likewise packed. There is a large guard presence around the perimeter, but none of them look to be in a hurry to interfere.

Goro doesn't take the stage himself first. Instead, hand-picked supporters come out to speak about Eifstide, those who saw or were even harmed by, spectres of dead friends and family. Local businesspeople who suffered damages and loss due the rampage wrecking their property. Each testimonial, while heartfelt, is also laced with venom towards the ones responsible for the attack. "Necromancers", "warlocks", "defilers", few kind words are spared for the mages of Solvunn. And anger at the lack of official response from the Free Cities' government regarding what is largely considered a "mealy-mouthed, grudging apology" and nothing more. Each testimonial serves to further ramp the crowd up, get them angrier.

When emotions are at their highest, that is when Goro makes his entrance.

His red cloak trailing behind him, and his four arms adorned with his Dragon Fangs (he's being careful to keep the blades sheathed, but also is prepared in case someone decides to start something), he emerges from behind a curtain to the roar of the crowd. He drinks it in, waiting for his supporters to get it out of their system, before he starts his big speech.

"The attack on Eifstide proved what we always knew." He begins. "That unrestrained, unsupervised, unregulated magical study would invariably lead to ruin! If Solvunn is telling the truth, then they are dangerously incompetent and foolhardy, and must be leashed. But who among you truly believes that they summoned the spirits of the dead, of our dead, by mistake?! They came for us in our beds, and they used our own dead to do it! This has always, always been the way of sorcerers! Cowardly and manipulative, they seek to harness unnatural power for their own benefit alone! Snakes in the grass, every last one of them, and there is no limit to the lengths they will go to, no sacrifice they will have someone else make, to attain more and more power! Will we let their desecration of our dead go unanswered?!"

The crowd roars with anger, "NO!" and Goro nods. "Such fire, I see in you all today! I feel its heat, feel the burning of your anger, and rightfully so! But united such as we are, why does our government take no action? What was the response to Solvunn's so-called "apology"? What steps have our leaders taken to protect us? The Free Cities are poised to become the true leaders of Abraxas, and we do not rely on magic as a craven warlock would! Solvunn knows that, and that is why they attacked! So why, WHY, have our leaders DONE NOTHING?!"

The crowd erupts in anger, and Goro throws up his arms. "THEN WE WILL FORCE THEM TO TAKE ACTION!" And the cries of anger turn to cheers. "The offices of the Prime Minister are not far from here. So we will take our voices to her, and make our demands known! We demand a delegation be sent to Solvunn's borders, a list of demands the necromancers must take if they are truly contrite and wish to make amends for their incompetence, their blundering! Their study of death magic in all its forms must cease! They must turn over all material, all scrolls and books of knowledge to us to be properly destroyed! And they must accept Free Cities observers! Their mages cannot yet be trusted to be left to themselves, and so they must be watched! They must be leashed! Otherwise the tragedy of Eifstide will happen again, sooner, and far worse than what we endured that horrible night! Will you march with me? Will you make your voices be heard?!"

To the roar of the crowd, Goro leaps from the podium. "Then rise! Rise up and follow me! To the gates of the Prime Minister's office! She will hear! And then Solvunn will hear! They must answer, or they must pay!"

The cry from the crowd is deafening. "THE DEAD DEMAND IT!" There is a hurried rising as the bleachers begin to empty and people begin to form up behind the Shokan, down the road that leads to the offices of Prime Minister Marlo.

It is this force that arrives, with thunderous chants of "Solvunn must answer, or Solvunn must pay!" and "the dead demand it!" It does not look like they are willing to leave until they have an official response from the government.

[Feel free to have threads where other characters respond to Goro's grandstanding rally, or try to interfere or approach Goro directly.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

With a small, satisified grunt, Goro lowers his bulk onto the bed in the private chambers of his Horizon domain. Preparations for the rally proceed apace, but there are so many demands on his time, so many things to oversee, and the people. Following him, fawning over him, incessantly buzzing in his ears...at first it had been quite delightful, to be the object of such reverence and adoration, even if it did come from humans. But it was quickly growing tiring, and Goro needed to be at his best for the rally to come. He needed the Free Cities on his side if he was to make war against Solvunn a reality.

For that, he needed rest, and the Horizon was his refuge. Finally managing to detach himself from the crowd and leave things in the hands of capable enough lieutenants, Goro had retreated for a time to Cadens base, where he could, under the pretense of meditation, come here to his domain, and find proper rest and relaxation. Yes...sleep, in this comfortable, Shokan-sized bed and then perhaps a soak in his boiling private hot spring. And some proper Shokan wine. Yes, that would do just nicely to get him in the proper mood for bringing his message of war to the people. Tomorrow, in fact.

Anyone enquiring after him would have been told that "Master Goro" had gone to meditate for a time and would return once he had rested. And here in the military encampment, more than a few of the soldiers believed in his message, and would ensure his "meditation" proceeded uninterrupted. After all, what Goro was saying was important. It would be difficult for anyone in the real world to reach him.

Edited 2022-01-10 19:52 (UTC)

All in all, it doesn't take as long as Goro expected before representatives from Marlo's office interrupt his rally, now that he's brought it to her front door, requesting his attendance. This entire "democracy" thing seems entirely unwieldy and ponderous, but when pressed, apparently it can move quickly. To protect itself, like as not. Goro is keen to respond, telling his followers to wait for his return and good news, before departing to see the Prime Minister.

He surrenders his Dragon Fangs willingly, as a gesture of good faith and cooperation. A precaution in case any malcontents decided to make a nuisance, he assures them. Such things are not uncommon in his own Realm after all.

Once that is done, it's not long before Goro is brought into her office. Now things truly begin. He clasps his upper fist to open palm and bows. "Prince Goro of Kuatan, Prime Minister. You do me great honour by agreeing to this meeting." His tone is sincere enough, despite the shouting he was doing outside not half an hour before.

"How may I be of assistance?"

Edited 2022-01-05 00:37 (UTC)

Unpleasant, he’s decided, is an understatement. Maybe the first red flag was the literal descent into this particular domain, treading down stone steps reflecting with green firelight, like venturing into any given circle of hell—take your pick—but Stephen’s committed. Stubborn, curious. Dedicated to exploring the Horizon when he’s spent more than enough time comfortably sequestered away in his own domain; for the neighbors that don’t visit him, he’ll just have to pay them that courtesy instead. He needs to familiarize himself with the faces who might hold influence, needs to know who and what he’s dealing with, and exploring the Horizon and its many domains is the easiest way to circumvent untraversable territory lines.

So he presses forward, his footsteps quiet against the stonework but still too loud for his liking. Eventually, the hall reveals even more unsurprising decor: decomposing corpses strung up and in cages, a grandstanding of someone’s power. (Because of course there are corpses.) His pause is short-lived, lingering on the morbidity only long enough to imply that it’s enough to unnerve, but not enough to frighten, and Stephen continues onward, fingers flexing faintly at his side.

He supposes at some point, he should draw attention toward himself, learn just who managed to conjure up such a welcoming domain and what it means for his presence here. His method is straightforward, once he finds a table with wiggling, chitinous creatures he assumes represent food — picking up a bowl so excessively large he has to hold it with two hands, he frowns down at the collection of wiggling things within it.

“Reminds me of what happens when someone forgets to clean out the fridge in the undercroft,” he calls out, and hollow reverb of his voice accentuates its satirical edge. “Is this supposed to be a buffet table, or a cautionary tale?”

Assuming he’s not alone and talking to air, maybe that’ll garner some attention.

Edited 2022-01-05 16:59 (UTC)

This time, Goro is in the treasure vault, taking in the many trophies, symbols of his power and glory...some of which may not actually be, strictly-speaking true. He never took Shao Kahn's great hammer, for example. As far as he knows, the weapon was destroyed with its master when the Elder Gods struck him down as punishment for the Kahn's hubris. But Goro saw the weapon many times, and he has to admit...it was a well-crafted, finely-adorned weapon. Why should it not be here, in his treasure vault, given a place of honour, besides? Who is to say Goro didn't take it in kombat from Outworld's former emperor?

That's when he hears someone call from the throne room. An unfamiliar voice. Goro scowls, but such seems to be the price of having a Domain within this place. It seems impossible to bar entry to any who would seek entrance. So he turns to greet this interloper...but not before he removes the great hammer from its pedestal and rests it over his shoulder, in the manner of the old Kahn himself.

It is such that Goro emerges from the side passage into the throne room where Strange is waiting, in all his Horizon-given royal finery; blood-red cloak adorned with gold, a silver circlet, heavy bronze necklace with its red jewel, and golden bracelets and greaves, great hammer slung over his shoulder. He regards Strange for a moment, before approaching the table.

"There are few in my Realm who could resist such a feast as this." He replies simply taking one of the chitinous, insect-like things from the bowl Strange is struggling to carry. He holds it, legs wriggling in the air before taking it firmly in his other hand, and with a short, sharp motion, cracks the thing in half. It gives a final shriek before falling silent and limp. With his last free hand, Goro takes a large, two-pronged utensil and pokes it into the torn-open insect husk, and withdraws a skewer of white, slimy meat, which he then turns to a smaller bowl of strange, dark-orange sauce and dips it in. He takes a bite, savouring it. The sauce really does make it.

"Only the greatest kings of Outworld could provide so vast a feast. Is that why you've come into my hall, little human?" He tosses the insect husks aside, letting them bounce across the stone floor. "To sample at my table?"

Edited 2022-01-05 20:26 (UTC)

The form emerging from the side passage should alarm him — and maybe it does, a little, because instinct dictates that a towering, multi-armed, muscle-bound humanoid with a hammer slung over his shoulder may not care for visitors. Probably not even propriety. And Stephen, who stands donned in his navy sorcerer’s garb and a bright red cloak hanging at his back, is utterly dwarfed in comparison.

He watches the display without interruption, the heavy bowl still held in his scarred hands, brow shadowing as the insect-like creature is killed, then its soft flesh lanced out of it by what he assumes is this domain’s owner. Stephen avoids outright disgust—he’s seen plenty of unusual delicacies as food items (again, that fridge back in the Sanctum)—but can’t wholly circle around a visible aversion to this welcome wagon.

“No,” he replies, setting the bowl down, so he’s not just a standing food dispenser. It’s ponderous and thuds against the table. “Not exactly. Guess I just wanted to see who would claim such a lovely place as this as their domain.”

His sarcasm isn’t caustic, but it sure does exist. He tilts his head up to look at Goro.

“I think I’ve found my answer. A king of… Outworld, right?”

Goro turns away as Stephen sets the bowl back, complete with a *swoosh* of his red cloak, crossing the room to take his seat on the throne. He sets Shao Kahn's hammer down by the armrest with a heavy *thunk* sound as the head meets the stone. He finishes the chunk of sauced insect meat, placing the the two-pronged utensil down on the armrest, then casually dismissing it from existence. He'll replace it later.

"Why should my domain not reflect my own taste and comfort?" He asks, leaning back on the stone throne. There are no chairs available, nor does he seem in a rush to offer any for his guest. "Nothing in the world outside the Horizon is made for me."

He rests his chin in one of his upper arms, elbow on armrest, regarding Stephen in thought. "No. Not a king. Not yet." He replies. "I am Prince Goro of Kuatan. A province of the Realm of Outworld." He says nothing else but stares intently at Stephen in obvious expectation.

“I never said it shouldn’t,” he corrects in regards to the idea of making one’s domain both familiar and comfortable. “I just think the kind of place you fashion for yourself says something about your character.”

For instance, his domain has that esoteric flair of a sorcerer’s abode, smack-dab in the middle of a training ground that could double as a place for meditation. Self-reflection. Here? There are dead bodies acting as the season’s hottest trend in interior design.

Despite himself, he turns and crosses a little closer to where Goro’s seated himself upon his throne, stopping a relatively respectful distance away to cross his arms and hitch up a brow.

“My name’s Doctor Stephen Strange. I’m one of the newer additions to our little community on this spiritual plane. Not much of a title to share of my own,” he continues, since Sorcerer Supreme was nixed on a technicality, “but I’m a sorcerer in my home world. Currently holed up in Thorne’s castle in this one.”

"Mmm." Goro's lip twitches, and he makes a sweeping motion with his upper arm. "Then by all means, enlighten me as to what you think my throne room says about my...character."

Of course, Goro already knows. To project an appearance of strength, and to instill fear in the hearts of any who would carelessly wander in. To remind Abraxas' many human summoned that there are monsters lurking in the darkness. And because it reminds him of home.

At least this doctor knows enough to be respectful. But Goro's brow furrows and his expression darkens all the same. "Another sorcerer." He scowls. What is it about him that attracts their attention? The monk who wandered in, the two opponents he faced at the Dimming, and now this Strange man. Like moths to a flame, and Goro can't say he's pleased to be the flame.

He leans forward in his seat. "A Summoned of Thorne...your hosts must be quite unhappy after the Dimming. They lost many caskets that night. But I do not recall seeing you on the field of battle. Were you there?"

“I was,” Stephen offers, but not much more than that. He was present on the battlefield just long enough to lose possession of his casket, and to gauge the Singularity’s reaction to being offered another’s — but not knowing Goro’s own thoughts on the matter, other than an apparent distaste for sorcerers, he has little motivation to be loose-lipped. “I can’t imagine anyone would be happy about having their things swept out from under them. But it wasn’t a complete loss.”

He unfolds his arms and gestures at the Prince on the throne, shifting his weight to the other foot but remaining planted where he stands.

“As for first impressions, I’d say you’re trying to make a point. Trying to intimidate any who wander into your home away from home. The courtesy of a feast’s on display, but that’s just proof of your privilege, isn’t it?”

Stephen won’t pretend he’s owed any real hospitality. But he won’t reign in his criticism too much, either.

“Could go for less of the ‘display the bodies of my enemies’ look, in my opinion.”

"But not a complete victory. Thorne has grown comfortable in its supremacy of this Realm, but we made it bleed at the Singularity." He presses his two upper hands together, finger against finger. "And when you can make the gods bleed, people will cease to believe in them. And Thorne's foundations are already shaking." If the Queen who rules there wishes to maintain the illusion of her divine right to rule, then eventually she will be forced into much grander action than sanctioning a little dust-up at the Singularity. Something much, much larger. And soon, pressure will start being applied to Solvunn. It's only a matter of time before the war begins in earnest. No more of this dancing around and politicking. Only the purity of kombat will remain, and ultimate power the prize, the power of Armageddon itself. What warrior could ask for more?

He gestures with a lower hand to the banquet. "Visitors are free to take what they wish, of course." Provided they can get up onto the tables. Provided there's anything on the table they actually want to try to eat. Provided they actually know how, as Goro demonstrated with the insect earlier. And provided the actual taste doesn't leave them nauseous...or worse. At least in the Horizon such things can be easily cured.

"After all, Outworld's bounty is vast, taken from millennia of conquest. It is the privilege of its rulers to share that bounty as they wish. And I'm curious to see if anyone is willing to test their bravery." He smirks, clearly expecting that no one is.

Conquest. War. The privilege of a ruler. Goro’s rhetoric does not surprise him, given what he can already glean from this glancing first impression. The sorcerer’s tone skews unimpressed.

“And shaking the foundations of Thorne will help stabilize the Singularity how, exactly?”

If there’s logic that stretches beyond stirring the pot for the sake of it, then he should like to hear it. Their focus for the sake of this world and so many connected to it is paramount, and dredging up distractions without good reason is nothing short of bull-headed foolishness.

“Your metric for bravery is about the same as a bad reality TV show.” Eat something ridiculous or disgusting for the sake of notoriety and then some. Stephen doesn’t bother to explain.

"Come now, doctor, you're an educated man." Goro replies. He's learned to deal with everyday casual disrespect here, as Abraxas as a whole takes a dim view of having people who mildly sass him flogged. He has no idea what "reality TV" is other than some foolish human thing that one of Earthrealm's surviving warriors does not shut up about, but the dismissiveness rankles. There's a tightening of muscles along Goro's arms.

"The Singularity is power. If the legends about the monolith are true, a power greater than the Elder Gods themselves, that could shake the foundations of all Realms. And here, three nations vie for its control. Thorne wishes for control, the Free Cities to destroy, and Solvunn to maintain its balance. Do you truly believe given all that, that it will not come to war, especially now that all three nations have begun their Summoning rituals? Abraxas is a pile of kindling, waiting for the spark that will ignite it, and consume this Realm in the fire of war. It is the natural order of things." Goro's arm rises and his hand clenches into a fist. "It is inevitable."

Having made his point, the Shokan lowers his arms. "These early days are the most crucial. They will determine who has the most momentum when the fighting begins in earnest. And the Queen has not made a terribly impressive showing." Truth be told, so far things seem to be in Solvunn's favour, which is why Goro must speed things up on that end with his rally.

Oh, Stephen believes that he needn’t a run-down of the political tensions strung taut between the nations, but he listens all the same, even if he rankles at the verbiage punctuated near the end — inevitable. The following assessment of each is surprisingly clinical, in a way that it makes an argument for nothing more than the certainty of war. The ‘natural order of things’, as Goro so very problematically puts it.

“I’m very aware of how much everything falls apart in the presence of power.” How one’s view of being the right one can bring catastrophic consequences to all those around them. His fingers flex at his sides. “History likes to repeat itself, no matter the universe. The same song and dance across time and space itself.”

Stephen isn’t pleased about it; in fact, he sounds tired. It makes problem-solving that much harder when his focus would prefer to remain on fixing the waning nature of the monolith, not argue over who exerts control over it. But the reality is set before him, and he’s barely more than a thread in the complex tapestry already woven into all the politicking, the growing anxieties in the soon to be theater of war. Goro is right about one thing — even this early on, he can sense they are on a path that’s difficult to direct.

“There’s an argument to be had somewhere, that just because there’s kindling doesn’t mean you have to take a flamethrower to it.” Well. He has to give a little kickback. But he continues, “Who do you back? Or are you in it just for the fire?”

Context clues are important. A domain based on conquest, as he was told, reveals much about a mindset — just like he said.

Edited 2022-01-06 14:06 (UTC)

"Indeed." Goro nods slowly. "Conflict is eternal. Universal. The story of all peoples, in all Realms, is written in the blood of the conquered and the dead. No civilization reaches its most vaunted heights without its people climbing over the bones of their rivals, only to eventually find themselves a stepping stone for another's ascent." Unlike Stephen, who speaks with weary resignation, Goro speaks of it as though he were discussing the weather, or what he might have for lunch. "And with a prize such as this...well, my only surprise is that it has taken this long for our hosts to come so close to war." Had the Singularity manifested in Outworld? Its nations would have destroyed each other to claim it. Shao Kahn would have laid waste to his own empire to possess the power it promises. And it is unlikely the other Realms would sit idly by and let such a power go unchallenged.

"Perhaps, but I see no point in it." Goro replies dismissively. "Your proposition rests on the assumption that we can stop that fire from being lit. Ultimately, that choice will be made by those in power, and I believe they have already made their decision." Goro rises from the throne, descending down the short flight of steps to circle the room. "And since war is inevitable, I will seek victory." Cause and effect; Shokan were not made to lose. It is not in their nature to accept defeat.

"I fight for the Free Cities." He answers, finally. "They are...overwhelmingly, annoyingly human, and yet..." He raises a hand, extending a finger to wave in thought. "Their attitudes in many respects are...admirable. Enough that I find common cause to fight with them."

At least until he sees a better opportunity. The Free Cities have their charm, minimal though they may be, and may even be useful allies of convenience, but they are not, and will never be Goro's people. It is to the Shokan he owes his ultimate allegiance, and he will act in their benefit in the end.

But the Free Cities don't need to know that. Or how the Singularity will ultimately fit into his plans. Goro himself has not yet fully decided, and yet...all that power, ultimately destroyed, if Marlo and her people have their way? He can see the sense and yet...it seems such a waste.

His eyes follow as Goro descends from his throne, head turning as he circles the room. There isn’t much to say about the ideology itself, and as much insight as it provides him about this many-armed prince, Stephen isn’t here to argue the point. His energies are better spent in more fruitful arenas — gathering information rather than changing a bone-deep belief.

“And what is it you find admirable about them? You said it yourself: you seek victory. And if victory produces power and control, it’s strange to align yourself with the side that wants to destroy the Singularity, isn’t it?”

He prods. Stephen seeks peculiarities like a man trying to drill past bedrock, hoping to unearth even fragments of insight.

"Thanks for coming in, make yourself comfortable."

The Prime Minister is seated behind her desk, swords crossed decoratively on the wall behind her. Her hunting dog lies by the fire and watches the room with one eye half opened.

"From what I'm hearing, you've been making a whole lot of noise in my cities. Anybody makes that kind of impression, I've got to meet him. And before any conclusions get jumped to, I'm not here to smack your hands."

She's smiling and her body language is friendly.

"That depends on how you define victory." Goro corrects. "Crushing Thorne and Solvunn and leaving the Free Cities the dominant power in this Realm would qualify as victory for most. As to the Singularity...perhaps it is better to destroy such power than let the wrong will be the one to guide it. Militarily, the Free Cities have perhaps the strongest army in Abraxas, which I find respectable. And as a people they have a...refreshingly practical view on sorcery and its practitioners. Yes. Conflict calls for a victor, and on the whole, I believe the Free Cities would be...preferable, given the alternatives. If it cannot be controlled properly, then better it is destroyed."

If one assumes the three nations are the only ones who can grasp the Singularity, then yes, best of a bad lot. But who is to say that's what will happen? Summoning introduces so many random variables, after all.

He knows what the sorcerer is doing, with all this prodding and poking. He's being subjected to an interrogation. An examination, as much about who Goro is than what his plans are. Spend enough time around sorcerers, as he had to, for five hundred years, and you learn a thing or two about how they tend to think. Duplicity and misdirection are as much weapons in their arsenals as the flaming skulls and soul-stealing.

"My thanks, Prime Minister." With a gesture of one of his lower hands, Goro summons up his throne of stone, emerging from the floor of Marlo's office, upon which he seats himself. Ostentatious perhaps, but at least it does not risk any damage to Marlo's furniture. Seating himself, Goro regards the woman across the desk. No fear, not visible, at least. Relaxed, assured, like the Shokan is any other visitor. Interesting.

"I am pleased to hear it, and in turn give my assurances that I wish only to make myself of service. I have been a guest of your hospitality for some months now, and having observed the Free Cities I find them agreeable. Worthy of support, which is why I am pleased to come before you." He gestures beyond the walls of the office. "The people out there are angry. They were angry before I began speaking about the events of Eifstide, I merely provided the means by which they could express that anger more efficiently." He leans forward, his expression grim. "Anger regarding Solvunn and its actions both on the night of Eifstide and afterwards. Thorne has already been put on notice regarding its tampering with the Singularity since the Dimming, which I myself was honoured to both fight and bleed for. Surely, Solvunn merits a similar action, given the severity of what it unleashed, unintentionally...or not."

Edited 2022-01-09 06:30 (UTC)

Stephen would merely call it being well-informed, but Goro isn’t wrong. Before he was a man of the Mystic Arts, he was a man of science. Of facts and figures and the ability to weigh the situation given a clear assessment of all the variables around him. This is no different, and it comes naturally to him.

And Goro at least is giving him plenty to work with. The idea that a destroyed Singularity is better than one existing to be relied upon; despite the disconcerting fact that Stephen had felt its connections to worlds beyond this one, like veins stretching out into the universe. Whatever happened to the Singularity could affect so much more than the scope of what they’re currently aware of. Logically, destroying it sounds like the worst-case scenario without extensive research to back it up.

Something else hitches against his attention, too. The second time, maybe, that Goro’s uttered his disdain towards sorcerers, and of course Stephen has to tug on that string a little more to see what unravels.

“And what’s your view on ‘sorcery and its practitioners’?”

"I appreciate that, Your Highness. I know people are angry, and I can't say that I blame them. We went through something traumatic and we know why and who did. It's natural to direct all that anger and fear at a target. But I have to think politically, and I can't exactly sanction taking any action against another kingdom. Nobody wants to set off a powder keg right now."

Marlo smiles a tired smile.

"Now are you implying that what happened might not have been an accident? We don't have any reason to believe otherwise. If you do....?"

Sam has heard the whispers of issues with Solvunn since Eifstide, murmurs among the greater population around Cadens. And it makes sense - given the way the Fre Cities responds to magic, even before the festival, and then they're met with that? Magic gone wrong, at the expense of everyone else? Uncertain murmurs turned to active dislike of people that were other? Part of Sam was almost disappointed in himself for being surprised, but another part reminds him that he can't be blamed for hoping.

Plus - there had been a few other matters that, for Sam, had taken precedent. Now that they seemed through all of that, now that Sam felt a bit more able to get out and about in the community again, he noticed something had changed. But he figured it's okay, times are tense, but nothing is going to push them over the edge into war quite yet.

It's not until those murmurs grow more concrete that Sam's concern settles. Not until those murmurs turn to ideas, turn to an event, that Sam realizes he can't just sit around anymore. It comes as a shock, but not nearly enough of one, to find out who is orchestrating the rally. And when he chases down where Goro is staying and is told he's 'meditating', Sam makes the full decision that he can't let this rest. It doesn't take much time for him to get back to his own place, even less for him to lock the door and get settled. Calming his mind to get into the Horizon does take a second attempt if only because of how his mind keeps running, but he gets in soon enough. It is telling, to Sam if no one else, that what he wears this time when he wakes up in the Horizon is his cap suit; wings, shield, and all.

Sam has been around for long enough to have a general sense of domains - where certain people's have always been located, where other's have moved. Which means that, by process of elimination, Sam is able to find Goro's domain easily enough (flying through the space helps as well, if he is being honest).

Purpose keeps him from focusing too much on any particular decoration, stepping into the main hall and slowing to a stop when he doesn't see the figure of the other.

"Goro!" He yells into the empty hall, sure that he can be heard. "We need to talk!"

Goro's eyes open, his lips already curling in a snarl of displeasure. Of course another intruder would come barging in just as he was looking for some much-needed rest. It's a voice he recognizes, however, and this encounter is not... unexpected. He's learned more about who Sam Wilson is since arriving; his displeasure at Goro's activities was inevitable. If anything, Sam is overdue.

Very well, then. Let this be over and done with; Goro is not part of Sam's "community", and the Prince of Kuatan, Grand Champion of the Great Tournament, General of Outworld, and soon to be Slayer of the False Kahn, will never be intimidated by a mere human. He rises from his bed, currently being kept warm by the unclothed body of one of his Courtesans (which is unfortunately all she's good for. His attempt to do more with the being had been, well... profoundly awkward and unsatisfying. But she is at least not unpleasant to observe nude.), and taking a moment to adjust his Horizon form in all of its royal finery, he departs his private chambers, emerging into the throne room.

Sam's attire gives Goro some pause, but not much. After you've seen ninjas in every colour of the rainbow and then some, the stars and stripes aren't really so out there. "Captain Wilson." He acknowledges with a small nod before making his way to the throne, where another Courtesan, clothed in only the most technical sense of the word, lounges at the foot of. As Goro sits himself, the Courtesan wraps her arms around his leg in a move that would probably seem sultry if it wasn't also entirely automatic (and one was into giant four-armed, mohawked, horned women with bodies like a female professional wrestler and even skimpier fashion sense.).

"To what do I owe the honour of your...unannounced visit to my domain?" He doesn't put much more emphasis on the "unannounced", but it's definitely there. And no seat for Sam is offered or conjured forcing him to remain standing.

Goro presses his lower hands together. "There are two explanations as I see it for Solvunn's actions the night of Eifstide. The first, as they claim, was an accident. A line from a chant left out, a word mispronounced, whichever excuse they used." He waves an upper hand dismissively. Clearly the idea holds no truck with him. "If that is true, it is dangerously negligent, and reckless of them. They attempted to harness the power of life and death and it backfired so horrendously, it unleashed a plague of undeath across the land. Are we to simply take them at their word this will not happen again? How do they intend to ensure that? What assurances have they given?"

His expression grows grim. "And no, I do not believe that explanation. Solvunn lacks the technologies and military might of the Free Cities, and Thorne besides but have made their position against both clear. I know that a leader in your position has considered the likelihood that there can no peaceful resolution to this Singularity problem. Likely Solvunn's leaders have as well. When—if—that time comes, what do farmers and woodsmen intend to do against our armies and Thorne's high walls? Where might they turn to to bolster their own ranks? In that case, Eifstide was certainly not an accident, it was a test. Else why would it happen now, and not before, when summonings are abundant?"

He regards Marlo for a moment before shaking his head. "If you are asking for proof, I have nothing to give. But I have seen this kind of sorcery before, the manipulation of souls, and of death itself. No one who pursues it does so for altruistic reasons. That way lies the most abhorrent abominations, the darkest of blasphemies. The consumption of souls to empower the living. No sacrifice becomes too costly, whatever reason starts a man down that road."

Having laid out the scenarios, including the worst case one (thank you Shang Tsung, you venomous snake in the grass), Goro makes his proposition. "I look on the Free Cities and see a civilization on the cusp of greatness. I see the future of this Realm, if its people have the courage to embrace their destiny. Solvunn's actions demand a response, but..." He makes a placating gesture. "There is still time for diplomacy to carry the day, rather than force of arms. To show Abraxas that the Free Cities may be stern, but fair in it's application of justice." He leans back in his throne. "And if Solvunn is truly repentant, then surely they will be eager to work with us."

Edited 2022-01-11 14:52 (UTC)

"You have given a lot of thought to this, haven't you!" Marlo smiles, her hands folded on the desk in front of her. "But Solvunn is known for staying out of our business and Thorne's. They've got a whole different view on life over there, I'm not sure they intend to do anything if it all ever goes south between us and Thorne. Eifstide disaster aside, we don't have any big quarrel with some nature loving magic farmers."

The Prime Minister shrugs as though Solvunn isn't really worth that much concern to her.

"But I do stand behind diplomacy and the people are riled up and I'd hate for them to think their leaders aren't listening. I'm open to whatever suggestion you have."

It's clear he has one to offer.

Overdue is definitely part of it, and as Sam has a few moment to simply look around the Throne Room, he feels a kind of urgency bubble up in him. He should have been here before it got to this point, should have already had this conversation before the night before. But he also knows there's no use in beating himself up about it - he's here now, and has to figure out a way to put a stop to this.

When Goro finally enters the room, Sam turns his full attention to him - the Captain sends a kind of tension through Sam, but it isn't bad. More of a reminder of something he may or may not have been letting lie low.

Not today. Today he squares his shoulders, approaching the throne and looking all the part the stubborn voice of reason who is not going to be easily dissuaded. "We need to talk about this rally, and the crap you're saying about Solvunn." No matter Goro's dramatic appearance and settling into the seat, Sam's voice is firm, even as he takes notice of the woman (?) wrapped around his feet.

"Do we?" Goro replies. "The people of the Free Cities are angry, Captain. Do they not have the right to express it?" He scratches his neck idly with one of his thick, black-nailed fingers. "I admit I am largely unfamiliar with democracy as a form of governance, but I was under the impression the people's voices being heard was meant to be the point." As if he hadn't been the one going around getting them all riled up.

"Does what happened on Eifstide not concern you, Captain Wilson?"

"That anyone who chooses to pursue such unnatural power does so in service of their own ambition." Goro turns to look at Strange now. "That there is no line that will not be crossed. No sacrifice that will not be made."

Goro has known two sorcerers in his life, one fat longer than he wanted to. Shang Tsung was a snake in the grass who feasted on and hoarded souls and stolen knowledge, and Quan Chi served a fallen Elder God in the darkness of Netherrealm. Goro is a warrior soaked in blood with a personal kill count stretching back millennia that could easily fill an entire battlefield with the dead, but he is a warrior, and everything he has earned, everything he has taken was by his own hands. His own strength. His own skill. That is a difference that matters. But sorcery makes slaves of men to their ambitions.

"The Free Cities are right to distrust it." That's a start, at least. And Goro will teach them to hate it. In time.

Edited 2022-01-15 01:50 (UTC)

"Are they?" Goro asks. "Then why did they also send Summoned to disrupt Thorne's ceremony at the Singularity? That was no act of neutrality." Indeed, Goro figures he fought more Solvunn-aligned Summoned in the fight than he did Thornean.

However, Marlo's concession towards a diplomatic answer draws a rare smile of satisfaction from the Shokan. "I am glad to hear that. The people want answers, and Solvunn has given them little. A delegation to their borders, then. The people want assurances that what happened on Eifstide cannot happen again. Our terms are simple; a review of all rituals and magic that went into their Eifstide rituals to ensure their story holds up to scrutiny. And Free Cities observers to remain in Solvunn's communes to ensure nothing...untoward occurs during any further rituals. Small matters really, to ensure the people can rest easier, knowing proper corrective measures are being taken."

He places a hand on his chest and bows slightly. "It would be my honour to lead the delegation and represent the Free Cities in this endeavour, of course. As Prince of the Shokan, I am well-versed in the arts of diplomacy, and would be pleased to make those skills available to my most generous hosts here in Abraxas."

"I think we can all agree that when it comes to the Singularity, things are a little bit different. We did the same, and it wasn't an act of aggression. I've seen nothing to imply it was an act of aggression on Solvunn's part."

Marlo's tone continues to be friendly and casual but it's clear she's invested in this conversation.

"A delegation? Well, there's no real reason why we shouldn't. We don't have bad relations with Solvunn. Which is why we can't just leave people there to keep an eye on things - that's just not a smart move, with our political climate. That says that we don't trust them, and that's not something I'm prepared to say to the world. But we don't have to anyway, we have ways of knowing what we need to know and keeping an eye on what we need to. And there's no harm in sending a delegation and asking to be walked through what happened. I can't let you lead it though, I'm afraid.

Again, it wouldn't be a good look for us right now, having an outsider lead a diplomatic mission like this. They start asking things like why doesn't the Prime Minister trust her own people, what are the Free Cities doing with these outsiders? Hell, my own people might start asking why I don't trust them, start making a fuss about me picking an unknown outsider who doesn't know the history or complexities of our world's politics when we've got men and women trained for this sort of thing. And I wouldn't blame them. I've never met you before in my life. But there's no reason you can't join my people on this little fact finding mission. Learn a little bit more about how things work here. Show my people - and me - that we have a good reason to trust you."

Stephen can’t help himself. Hearing such a flattering description of sorcerers or other magically-inclined individuals makes him scoff, a sound that borders on amusement wrung dry.

“Sounds like someone’s been burned in the past.”

That must be the case. That, or Goro’s world isn’t exactly teeming with the most honorable magical lot.

“That might be the case for some, and maybe even a few in my world, but you’ve just described the opposite of what the practitioners of the Mystic Arts tout. Magic is used to protect and to keep balance in my world others beyond it, not to fulfill a personal ambition.”

To serve something more than just one’s ego.

“And the responsibilities I had on Earth apply here just as easily.”

Goro concedes Marlo's point. "As you say, Prime Minister. Forgive my presumption." The observer thing was a stretch anyway, designed to put unnecessary pressure on Solvunn and escalate matters. Besides, at least he's getting the delegation, and he can go back to his supporters outside with good news. And Marlo did not say no to a "review" of Solvunn's practices regarding their practices regarding Abraxas' departed. It's enough of a place for him to start. And to find out more about those other methods of keeping an eye on Solvunn that Marlo has just spoken of.

"It would be my pleasure to accompany the delegation to both protect it, and learn. My people outside will be glad to hear of it as well. Will you come out to make the announcement to the people directly? It would do the citizens' morale good to hear the Prime Minister herself endorse the delegation we have worked so hard to make a reality." And if Goro is seen next to her while she does so, well...good for his image as well. And now comes the time to throw another hook in, if his hunch about the other Summoned is correct.

"But we will need to move quickly on organizing and sending it out. Once the delegation is made public, I expect Solvunn will know of it before day's end. If not through the summoned network, than the Horizon at the very least." He offers conversationally, in a tone that expects Marlo has any idea what he means. The Horizon is likely. The network? He's not so sure about that.

He can tell by the way Goro speaks he doesn't believe in it - democracy, or whatever it is he's trying to push. It's a contrast to the last couple, a contrast to the kind of person who has richeous misdirection behind them. Sam doesn't budge.

"They have all the right to express their anger. But there's there's a difference between being angry and being provoked."

Sam takes a few more steps in Goro's direction, the rest of the room and the strange impression it leaves falling away. His focus is Goro, and putting a stop to this rally.

"What you're doing isn't speaking up for the people here. You're trying to pick a fight, when it's not your fight to pick. You need to back off."

Now Goro starts to grow angry. As Sam approaches, the Shokan's eyes narrow in anger.

"Tread carefully, Captain." He warns in a low voice. "I do not take kindly to ultimatums. Do you seriously believe that what happened on Eifstide was an...an accident?" He sneers as he says the word. "That it should happen now? I thought Special Forces soldiers such as yourself were smarter than that." He rubs his chin in thought for a moment.

"Or perhaps your loyalties in this matter are... confused." He rumbles. "You were part of the group that escaped Thorne, were you not? Tell me, do you keep in touch with your fellows who went to Solvunn instead?"

Sam does come to a stop, but there is very little in his body language that would give reason to think it was out of reaction to Goro's anger. If anything, that anger simply harden's Sam's jaw.

"I'm a lot more than a Special Forces officer, Goro. And I have been for a while. So don't get ahead of yourself thinking you know anything about me or my loyalties."

He can see the signs - the bits and pieces of the conversation that Goro is trying to craft. Anger, sure, but more than that - he's trying to get Sam to trip up into something that he could use against him. It's smart, and Sam keeps it in mind as he keeps talking, feeling himself wanting to respond in certain ways, but knowing he should in others.

"And yeah, I keep track of all the Summoned, Goro. You know- the people who aren't from this world? Who need to go home? I don't really care what faction they ended up in, because this isn't my fight. Just like it's not yours."

So the uniform, ridiculous as it is, signifies something deeper than being a simple soldier like Sonya Blade or Jackson Briggs. Goro's gaze drifts down to the shield for a moment, his eyes lingering. The shield is a symbol of something, he thinks.

As Sam stops, Goro rises up from the throne. "Have you considered that there is no way back but to fight?" He asks. "Through control of the Singularity. And even if not, you would be content to leave and let such power be? While these three nations fight over it like squabbling children? Have you any idea of what the ramifications of that might be? No. I will not run, Captain. I have never turned from a fight, and you delude yourself if you think this will not end in blood. I am simply ensuring we get there faster." Goro steps off the dais his throne is seated on, only a few feet from Sam, looming over him.

"The rally goes on as planned. I will keep my own counsel as to what battles I shall fight. And you must decide very carefully, when the drums are beating, blood is boiling and the march to war begins in earnest if you will stand next to me...or in front of me."

"I'm sure you can handle spreading the news, I've got too much to do to be able to make many announcements personally. Especially if this delegation needs putting together as urgently as you suggest."

It almost sounds as though Marlo's finished. But she doesn't immediately rise or dismiss Goro. Her face doesn't change but her fingers tap a little against the surface of her desk.

"You think we'll meet with some kind of hostility or protest? I don't imagine Solvunn's going to be very bothered by us wanting to ask them a few questions. Even if they know in advance we're coming. Or is it the summoned you're worried about?"

Goro has no idea.

Which might even be part of it. Who is Captain America, to a community of people, most of which don't have an America to care about? Why would it matter, if Sam put on the suit? Used the voice? Got up in front of everyone and started directing? Would it have made a difference? Would it have avoided whatever path they're now all on, thanks to centuries of politics that none of them were a part of, and now Goro?

Except that Sam knows he can't think that way - what could have happened didn't, and won't in this timeline, and they have to move on. Move on to this, where Goro's eyes linger on the shield, where he rises from his throne and towers over Sam, spitting words like children and run and we get there faster.

"And have you considered maybe the only reason we haven't figured out a way back yet is because we aren't working together?" Sam's voice is tight, if only because he's starting to feel that rise. That rush of adrenaline in the face of someone who isn't listening. "And if you think all conflicts have to end in a fight, that says more about you, than the nations you want to play games with. There is always another way, and the shit you're pushing out there isn't going to help anyone."

Goro might loom, and Sam will let him for a few moments, but it's at the thinly veiled threat of in front of me that Sam's wings will extend and his pack will light up, lifting him up in the air. He hovers above Goro now, the same distance Goro had just had over him.

"I've made my decision, Goro. But piece of advice? I'd worry about that counsel of yours. Sounds to me like they've got you on a fast track to the wrong side of this fight."

The wings deploying, and Sam suddenly rising into the air cause Goro to step back in surprise. The look of alarm as he looks up at Sam—as he looks up at Sam—is brief but all too visible from where the Captain hovers, and Goro knows it. Caught flat-footed, in his own domain, by a human, Goro's surprise is quickly replaced by seething, towering rage.

"You have made a grave mistake here today, human." He spits, any trace of hospitality or feigned courtesy evaporated. In response to their master's anger, two Tigrar Guardsmen emerge from side passages, iron halberds gripped in one of their four hands. They march into the throne room and take up position flank behind Sam, flanking him. Meanwhile, the cavern itself begins to shake, dust and rubble dripping from the ceiling above in response to the overwhelming anger of its lord.

"You think yourself a warrior? You think you know battle? You are a mewling child compared to me!" His voice steadily rises in anger. "I have studied war, I have fought and killed since your kind lived in mud huts! Entire civilizations have risen and fallen into dust on your Realm while I have perfected my art! In my wake, a battlefield of corpses of every enemy slain by MY HANDS ALONE, AND YOU DARE THINK YOURSELF SUPERIOR TO ME? I AM PRINCE OF THE SHOKAN! THE CHAMPION OF OUTWORLD!" Goro pounds his chest in fury with each declaration, and the entire cave shudders with each blow.

"I! AM! GORO! AND I DO NOT FAIL!"

Again, Goro's response is conciliatory. "Of course, Prime Minister. I understand the burdens of rule. I will be honoured to deliver the food news." It would have been better for him to be seen up there with Marlo in person, so people would make that connection, but as long as it feels like he has her ear, which so far seems to be going well, it's just as well. People will know the delegation was at his request. His doing.

It feels like the meeting is over, and Goro prepares to ask to be excused, but questions him. Well, now. This is an opportunity. Goro rubs his chin for a minute in thought, considering it. His encounter prior to the rally with Captain Wilson still lingers in his mind, stewing in anger. Time to pay that insult back.

"To be honest Prime Minister, it is less Solvunn's Summoned I am concerned about as it is some of our own." He begins slowly. "Before the rally, I was visited by Captain Samuel Wilson. He was not happy about the movement or my leading it. He attempted to order me to call it off, tell those who followed me to disperse and...forget, I suppose. I am not one of his soldiers, so naturally I refused his command. But the Captain strikes me as a man who seems certain in his own sense of moral righteousness. The sort of person who will do what he believes right, no matter the cost. And being from the group that escaped Thorne, well...he has Summoned I would venture to believe he calls friends in Solvunn. His loyalties are divided and he does not believe the Summoned should be picking sides. Hence, his anger at me, as he insisted this was not my fight. I prefer to keep my own counsel in those regards."

He regards Marlo thoughtfully. "Prime Minister, before our meeting today, had any of the Summoned you have spoken to personally mentioned our little network to you?" He asks. Now having sown what he hopes to be a seed of distrust between Sam and Marlo, time to move in for the coup-de-grace. The network's existence is valuable to the Summoned, as is its secrecy. Given the potential security threat it poses to the three states, revealing it to Marlo could earn Goro a great deal of goodwill from her, which will be valuable to him in the days ahead.

Sam does not take any pride in the look of shock that crosses Goro's face, but he does catalog it for later. That Goro could be caught off-guard, that he's not used to someone doing it, that rage is the immediate response in the face of it. Sam doesn't flinch, doesn't really react as the hospitality or courtesy disappears. He hadn't really believed it himself, anyway.

He reminds himself this is the Horizon, that none of this is truly real, but he doesn't want to test the limits of pain and what it might leave him with today. He hadn't come here to fight Goro, and whatever show of strength or control over the space that Goro has, Sam's not looking to push back.

"Man, I don't care who you are." Sam's voice only rises enough to be heard over the rumbling, his hand tightening in its handle behind the shield. The urge to fight back bubbles up in him, but he keeps it in check. "You're not going to put anyone at risk just because you want to play war." The cave shudders around him, and Sam knows his time is limited. Still, he flies closer to Goro knowing he's pressing his luck, and already preparing himself to get out of this before it gets out of hand. I do not fail he'd said.

"There's a first time for everything."

The taunt, and all it implies, is what finally does it. Goro's rage boils over and any lingering sense of restraint crumbles. This human...with his...his toys, that ridiculous dinner plate strapped to his arm, that jester's costume, those Shinnok-damned wings, dares imply he could best Goro? The greatest warrior of the Shokan? It's too much. He was already angry, but now that anger heats into red hot, pure, blinding, unadulterated rage.

Horizon or not, he wants to hurt this man. He wants to kill this man.

With a final, wordless roar of rage, Goro lunges towards Sam, leaping upwards as he does so, seeking to grab Sam by the neck while his other two arms go for the wings, to try and hold him in place. A part of him knows the action is foolish and meaningless, something his father would chide him for, but he's far past the point of caring right now.

Sam sees the snap in Goro's eyes before he even starts moving. Sees the rage finally hit the end of the thermometer and break through the glass. There's a voice in the back of Sam's head that reminds him he had known it would end this way. A voice that had known there was really no point to this conversation. A voice that Sam had to push back against, because he'd had to try. And now that they were here, now that Goro roared and lunged up towards him - leaping up with a kind of supernatural strength and ability that Sam kind of had to expect.

He doesn't chance it - he'd come to say his piece, and he has. Goro knows he's not meeting this without resistance, and now that he'd been given the chance to back down and hadn't, Sam had to redirect. If he'd felt more spiteful, he might have stayed for a final word or comment, but again - Sam's not here for that, today. So instead, without further ado, he cuts his connection and wakes back up in his apartment in the city. Goro might have gotten a brush of vibranium, might have just gotten his hands around Sam's throat, but then he was gone.

Better luck next time, Goro.

"No sorcerer has ever bested me." Goro replies sharply. "But I have spent more time among them than I wished. I know of what I speak."

Stephen's description of his order fails to impress the Shokan, who snorts derisively. "Ah yes, self-appointed protectors no doubt." He dismissively waves an upper hand. "Arbiters of justice meting out punishment to any who dare cross them. Then tell me, what noble cause was it that drove you to to serve in this order? Sheer human nobility?" Not a concept Goro apparently has much faith in, it seems.

And Goro's assessment of his own sorcerous order also fails to impress. There are plenty of assumptions here, and not ones he believes are being made in good faith.

"I joined because I needed healing. But then I realized I wanted to serve something bigger than myself."

Bigger than his own ego, learning that there was more he could offer to the world than fulfilling his pride. But Goro has not earned that level of insight with Stephen, not by a long shot.

"And, believe it or not, I'm not a fan of interdimensional threats swinging by to put my world in danger, either. So it was an easy decision."

Edited 2022-02-13 05:44 (UTC)

As Stephen speaks, Goro returns to his throne and sits, a hand idling atop the handle of the great hammer he left when he originally stood up. "You were given a taste of power, and wanted more." He "translates", a view that more neatly fits inside his worldview. Yes, part of somthing greater, whatever Stephen chooses to tell himself, to believe it was for truly noble reasons, when in reality, it was simple grasping for more power.

"I am certain that it was. Power abhors a rival." The Shokan replies as he settles back into the throne. "Assuming that to be true however, you must recognize the threat posed by the existence of the Singularity." He points out. "Are we to simply stand back and do nothing while such a power is squabbled over by three warring nations, when the repercussions could affect any number of Realms, our own included?"

Stephen grows clearly unimpressed with Goro’s continued assessment of his character, based on little to nothing at all. The opposite could be considered true; he could have returned to a life of wealth, renown, and success. He could have chosen to walk away and not deal with the mystical threats always knocking at Earth’s door. It would have made for less sleepless nights.

But he didn’t. He chose the route of humility, instead, and accepting that the universe was far bigger than his own estimation of it. Explaining that feels like a waste of air, however, and he doesn’t bother to put forth the effort.

“That’s a lot of assumptions.”

All of it.

“When did I ever suggest sitting back and doing nothing?”

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Round 2

Closed to Sam Wilson

Closed to Marlo

Horizon! cw; mention of corpses

cw; gore

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cw mild and partial nudity

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coming back...three weeks later...hoo boy...

no worries!

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